Floor scrubbing machine



Sept. 11, 1962 w. K. MoMxLLAN ETAL, 3,952,905

FLOOR SCRUBBING MACHINE Filed OOL. 24, 1960 5.. #is Ar.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 vlllllll.

W. K. MCMILLAN ETAL FLOOR SCRUBBING MACHINE una.

Sept. 11, 1962 Filed oct. 24, 1960 mm. .wm Wm, Nm,

INVENTORS WAR/vee K. MCM/AN BY daf/rl R Zoe/,v son' A Tyne/va V5.

United States Patent O 3,052,905 FLGE SCRUBBING MACHNE Warner Kyle McMillan, Galax, Va., and John Paul Robinson, 363 Adams, Gaiax, Va. Filed Get. 24, 1960, Ser. No. 64,363 2 Claims. (Cl. S15-99) 'Ihis invention relates to a door scrubbing machine and has as its primary object the provision of a motor operated Hoor scrubbing machine embodying an endless belt carried by a frame, the frame carrying a tank containing scrubbing solution, and means for rotating the belt through the tank -to provide an improved, facile and rapid apparatus for scrubbing iloors.

An additional object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of this character including irnproved means for wringing out the belt during each passage through the water tank, as well as improved adjustment means for tensioning the belt.

A further important object of the invention resides in the provision of a rotatable perforated roller contained in the tank actuated by passage of the endless belt for thoroughly impregnating the belt, as well as agitating the cleaning solution.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which is sturdy and durable in construction, reliable and eihcient in operation, and relatively simple and inexpensive to manufacture, assemble, and utilize.

Still other objects reside in the arrangements of parts, combinations of elements, and details of construction, all as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter and shown in the accompanying drawings wherein there is shown a preferred embodiment of this inventive concept.

In the drawings:

FIGURE l is a side elevational View, partially broken away, showing one form of apparatus embodying the instant inventive concept, certain concealed portions thereof being indicated in dotted lines.

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with parts thereof broken away and certain concealed parts being shown in dotted lines.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FG. l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 4-4 of FIG. l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of FIG. 2 as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows; and

FIGURE 6 is a sectional View taken substantially along the line 6 6 of FIG. l as viewed in the direction indicated by the arrows.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Having reference now to the drawings in detail, the device of the instant invention is generally indicated at 10, and includes a base plate 11 serving as a mounting plate for the remainder of the apparatus.

A vertically extending front plate 12 extends to an inclined top plate 13, which plate in turn extends to a vertical plate 14 which comprises the -front wall of a Cleansing solution tank or the like. This tank is generally indicated at 15, and is open at its top and comprises a bottom wall 16, and an olset portion 17 which terminates in a rear Wall 18 which is inclined upwardly and forwardly. The assembly is provided with oppositely disposed side plates 19, which extend the full width of the side of the apparatus, and which enclose the tank 15.

The forward end of the device adjacent the wall 12 3,052,905 Patented Sept. 11, 1'962 ICC is provided with a roller 20, which is mounted on an axle 21, the ends of which are supported by the eyes of eye-bolts 22, which latter are threaded in nuts 23 carried by laterally projecting lugs 24 adjacent the `forward ends of side plates 19. This provides an adjustment of the forward roller for the purpose of tensioning a belt in a manner to be more fully described hereinafter.

A drive roller 25 is mounted on an axle 26 interiorly of and adjacent the front wall 14 of tank 15, axle 26 being provided at one end with a sprocket 26a, which is engaged by a chain 27 which in turn engages a sprocket 2S on a drive shaft 29 of a suitable electric motor 3i) which is mounted on base plate 11. Rotation of the roller 26 in turn drives an endless belt of pliable scrubbing material 31. The belt 31 extends from the roller 25 downwardly and forwardly over the top plate 13 and around the roller 2i?, thence extending the full length of the bottom plate 11. At its rear end the belt 31 passes over a roller 32 which is similar in construction to the previously described roller Zt?, and which is mounted on an axle 33 which in turn is supported in eye-bolts 34 which are secured adjustably by means of nuts 35 to lugs 36 at the rear of the device, the lugs 36 being substantially identical to the previously described lugs 24. From the roller 32 belt 31 extends past the outside of rear Wall 1S and over a roller 37 which is mounted on an axle 38 adjacent rear wall 18 of tank 15 and interiorly of the tank. The endless belt 31 then passes downwardly about a perforated roller 4i), to be more fully descri-bed hereinafter, and thence upwardly and over the previously described roller 25.

As best shown in FIGURE l, an operating handle 43 is rigidly secured at 44 in the upper rear corners of side plates 19 and is provided with a cross piece 45, so that the front of the machine can be raised from the door and rolled around on wheels 41, by tipping the machine on Wheels 41 as a pivot.

A chain guard 46 is positioned on the side of the apparatus and covers the sprockets 26a and 28 in the chain 27.

Referring now back to the perforated roller 4i), it will be seen that the device is provided with a hollow central shaft 50, through which extends a bolt 51, which is provided with a nut 52 on one end and a head 53 on the other end, the arrangement being such that upon removal of bolt 51 the entire roller assembly 4i) may be removed. Roller is of relatively large diameter, and is provided with a large number of perforations 55 covering the entire surface area thereof so that duid contained in tank 15 may pass freely inwardly and outwardly of the roller. Mounted interiorly of the roller 4i) on tube Sil are a plurality of blades which thoroughly agitate the cleansing solution as it passes in and out of the roller, and thoroughly impregnato the belt 31 as it passes beneath the roller, as best seen in FIG. 5.

A Wringer apparatus is also provided, and comprises a roll mounted on an axle 61, the ends of which extend through suitable enlongated slots 62 in the side plates 19, the ends of the axle 61 are carried by a U-shaped member 64, which includes a -bight portion 65, to -which is secured one end of a screw 66. The screw in turn is mounted in a transversely extending angle iron member 67, the ends of which are secured in opening 68 in the side Walls 19, screw 66 extending through a nut 7d carried by the upright wall of angle iron 67, and being provided with a knurled operating head 71.

The use and operation of the device should now be readily understandable. The tank 15 is iilled with a suitable cleaning solution, such as soap and water, detergent, or polish or any other desired substances. The motor 30 is then energized by a switch (not shown) suitably and conveniently mounted on the cross handle 45, the

switch having conventional connections to the motor 30. This causes movement of the belt 31 through the tank 15 `and about the roller 40, the belt thus becoming impregnated with the solution. At the same time, the traction of the belt tends to move the machine forward across the oor. To get. a better scrubbing effect one holds back on the handle 45 to let the belt 31 slip on the surface to =be cleaned. The slipping of belt 31 gives a better scrubbing effect on the surface to be cleaned. By holding the machine in one position or place, the belt will scrub that place continually for as long as described. In short, the slipping of the belt, caused by holding back on the machine and keeping it from moving forward, as is its tendency, is what gives the scrubbing and cleaning or polishing action.

The belt 31 may be of any suitable material, such as Turkish toweling or the like and may be provided with angularly disposed scrubbing strips 31a of sponge rubber,

neoprene or similar material. When .it is desired to wring out the roller, suitable adjustment of the knurled head 71 of 66 moves the wringer roll 60 either into or out of contact with the belt 31 adjacent the roller 25. Such wringing action maybe continuous, or intermittently adjusted, and may occasion any desired tension on the rolls.

From the foregoing it will now be seen that there is herein provided an improved oor scrubbing apparatus which readily lends itself to the cleansing or polishing of any horizontal surface, which accomplishes all the objects of this invention, and others, including many advantages of great practical utility and commercial importance.

As many embodiments may be made of this inventive concept, and as many modifications may be made in the embodiments hereinbefore shown and described, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for scrubbing horizontal surfaces comprising a vframe including side plates, a bottom plate, a front plate, a rear wall, and an upwardly and rear- Wardly inclined top plate, an open top tank carried between said side plates and said rear wall and abutting said rear wall, said top plate beginning at said front plate and terminating at the open top of said tank, a motor carried by said base plate forwardly of said tank, a transverse drive roller extending parallel with said rear plate and overlying the intersection of said tank and said top plate, a connection between said motor and said drive roller, first and second transverse idler rollers located at the intersection of said front and said bottom and said rear and said bottom walls respectively, a third idler roller extending transversely across the top of said tank at said rear wall, a generally cylindrical, hollow, agitating roller transversely mounted across the center of said tank near the bottom thereof, an endless cleaning belt of pliable material extending over said drive roller about said first, second and third idler rollers and beneath said agitating roller back to said drive roller, tensioning means for said rst and second idler rollers, and a movable wringer roller positioned adjacent to, and parallel with, said drive roller, said agitating roller having `wall portions defining a plurality of peripheral perforations therein, extending into the hollow interior thereof, and blades positioned interiorly thereof.

2. An apparatus for scrubbing horizontal surfaces comprising a frame including side plates, a 'bottom plate, a front plate, a rear wall, and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined top plate, an open top tank carried between said side piates and said rear wall and abutting said rear wall, said top plate beginning at said front plate and terminating at the open top of said tank, a motor carried by said base plate Vforwardly of said tank, a transverse drive roller extending parallel with said rear plate and overlying the intersection of said tank and said top plate, a connection between ksaid motor and said drive roller, yfirst and second transverse idler rollers located at the intersection of said yfront and said bottom and said rear and said bottom walls respectively, a third idler roller extending transversely across the top of said tank at said rear wall, a generally cylindrical, hollow, agitating roller transversely mounted across the center of said tank near the bottom thereof, an endless cleaning belt of pliable material extending over said drive roller` aboutx said rst, second and third idler rollers and beneath said References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,628,129 Durr May l0, 1927 2,153,686 Deegan Apr. l1, 1939 2,430,409 Osenbaugh Nov. 4, 1939 2,930,057 Evans Mar. 29, 1960 

